Marc J. Spears of the Denver Post reports that the Nuggets are close to another signing. After finalizing the Calbert Cheaney signing on Monday, they are expected to sign Boston free agent center Mark Blount to a one-year contract.

Although Blount is a restricted free agent, the Celtics are expected to allow him to sign with the Nuggets. The recent acquisitions of Vin Baker and Bruno Sundov by Boston may have made Blount expendable.

"We're close," said Nuggets assistant general manager David Fredman, whose team brought Blount in for a workout two weeks ago. "There are still some things that need to be done. He's still another team's property."

Counting guaranteed contracts and players expected to be on the roster, the addition of Blount could push Denver's roster to 14. That excludes free-agent guard Voshon Lenard and forward-center Zendon Hamilton. An NBA roster can include 12 active players and three on the injured list.

Denver is considering keeping center Francisco Elson, a 1999 second-round draft pick, and rookie guard Junior Harrington, who recently signed a contract contingent on him making the team. Newly acquired point guard Mark Jackson could be on the roster, traded or bought out of his contract; swingman James Posey has been involved in many trade rumors.

"There are more moves to come," Fredman said.

Peter May of the Boston Globe tells us that ?as of now, three names stand out as the early front-line casualties of the NBA's New Economy?. When all is said and done, Rodney Rogers, Keon Clark and Matt Harpring will have probably been let go by teams that held their rights simply because of the luxury tax.

May concedes that all three will find work in the NBA this year and all three will be paid more than the minimum. But all three represent different ways in which the apparently sure-to-come luxury tax has forced owners and management to retool, rethink, and reconfigure on the fly.

The Celtics offered Rogers a pay cut. Not because they were disappointed in his play, but simply because they decided they could only afford to pay him $1 million. May explains, ?The Celtics knew two things: Rogers could not accept their offer and he would not accept their offer. Without a luxury tax, he would have quickly re-signed and Vin Baker would still be in Seattle. But the Baker trade enabled the Celtics to jettison $15 million in salaries for this season while taking on $14 million. That's Paul Gaston's kind of math.?

So Rogers, arguably the fourth-best player on the team, is now shopping and, if he hasn't signed anywhere by September, maybe that $1 million won't look so bad.

Clark and Harpring fall into a slightly different category of tax casualty. Both players were restricted free agents when their team?s tendered the required qualifying offer. As a restricted free agent, the team reserves the right to match other team?s offers and keep the player. This is a gread advantage to the current team in keeping a talented free agent from signing elsewhere.

Both Clark and Harpring are talented. Clark played 81 games for the Raptors and was fifth on the team in scoring, second in rebounding, and first in blocked shots. In any other market, he would have been resigned already. May writes, ?Toronto general manager Glen Grunwald said his team wanted to make a fair offer to Clark, but ''fair'' in Grunwald's book has a different meaning than ''fair'' in Clark's book. Had Grunwald not signed Michael Stewart and Hakeem Olajuwon to silly, pre-luxury tax contracts, there'd be money to keep Clark. But now Clark is available to the highest bidder and, theoretically, should get something greater than $2.5 million. The Raptors may have something left over to sign a lesser player, maybe someone like ... Harpring.?

On Harpring, May writes that he "merely started 81 games for the 76ers and was one of the few to make it through the season without some debilitating injury. ''But, with the luxury tax,'' Sixers GM Billy King said, ''it's a different ballgame out there. No one talks about the salary cap anymore. It's all luxury tax.''

According to May, King said Friday that he's taken countless calls from agents begging him to sign their player to the veteran minimum. That's one reason he pulled the plug on the Harpring tender. The other was that if it had been signed, King could not have traded Harpring for a year and Harpring would have been an unrestricted free agent this time next year.

The Sixers already have spent around half of their $4.5 million exception on Dallas free agent Greg Buckner. The other half, or some portion of it, may be offered to Rogers. (King said there was nothing going on with Rogers.) Given the way the summer has gone, Rogers should think long and hard about any offer, even if it's a big dropoff from the $2.6 million he made last year. Given the way things are going, with teams trimming payrolls and rosters, the next offer might be the best one because it also might be the only one.

Peter May of the Boston Globe sounds off on yesterday?s Sonics/Celtics trade, ?Isn't it interesting how basketball economics work these days? An owner won't dare spend $3 million to bring back someone who has had a demonstrable and positive impact on his team. But he will turn around and agree to take on more than $50 million owed to someone who, to be charitable, has been a classic underachiever the last four years.?

The Celtics played hardball with Rodney Rogers, whose play off the bench was one of the factors to propel them to the Conference Finals last season. But they open the checkbook for perennial underachiever Vin Baker. This, May explains, is one of the mysteries of the luxury tax. Rogers, re-signed at $3 million would cost more than Baker, making more than $12 million.

While losing Rogers is not a good thing, making a deal to try and replace his production, is. The Celtics recognized that they couldn?t bring Rogers back, but rather than let him go with nothing in return, they traded for some help in the middle. And, if you look at it as a 2-for-1 trade, Baker and Shammond Williams for Kenny Anderson, it doesn?t seem so bad.

Anderson wasn?t the only Celtic traded away, but he was the only one who was important to the team?s success. Joe Forte never played and Vitaly Potapenko missed the playoffs with an injury, but the Celtics never missed him. Williams wan a key factor in the C?s success last season and they have no one to adequately replace him.

So be prepared for the following statement: ''A lot of our offense runs through Antoine [Walker] anyway.'' That will be the party line to minimize the loss.

UPDATE: The trade was announced as official on Monday
afternoon.

Shira Springer of the Boston Globe reports that the much-rumored Celtics/Sonics trade may go through as early as today. The deal would send Kenny Anderson, Vitaly Potapenko, and Joseph Forte to Seattle for Vin Baker and Shammond Williams.

If the details get finalized and the league approves the deal, the Celtics could announce the trade during a press conference tomorrow. General manager Chris Wallace canceled a scouting trip to Lithuania, which would have started this Friday, because ''too much is going on.''

Springer writes that according to sources, there are a few sticking points to be considered before the trade is officially completed, but no deal-breakers. The Celtics are reviewing all aspects of the trade, from a basketball standpoint to a financial one, and are considering team chemistry, as well. Boston is taking a long look at Baker's contract and the many clauses it contains. The Knicks also have expressed interest in dealing for Baker, but they don't have as many favorable contracts to offer as the Celtics.

The Celtics would have no front-runner for the point guard spot but they will have a re-stocked front court without re-signing Rodney Rogers. This deal will apparently signal an and of the Celtics attempts to keep Rogers.  

According to RealGM estimates, after this trade the Celtics would be saving about $1 million in salaries for the 02-03 season but gaining over $28 million in salaries over the life of the contracts.

Percy Allen of the Seattle Times reports that Boston and Seattle may have already agreed to a Vin Baker for Kenny Anderson trade. He writes that the Sonics? negotiations with Rashard Lewis may be put on hold while the two teams try to hammer out a deal.

A source close to the deal says that the two teams have agreed on the trade, but another player must be added from Boston to make the trade work. Deciding on the other player has slowed talks. Boston appears willing to part with Vitaly Potapenko, a 6-10 forward/center, while the Boston Herald reported the Sonics are interested in 6-8 forward Eric Williams.

Seattle also would like to unload disgruntled guard Shammond Williams, perhaps for Boston guard Joseph Forte.

(RealGM note: According to our estimates, Baker for Anderson and Potapenko does not work within the rules of the CBA, while Baker for Anderson and Eric Williams does. If Potapenko is included by the Celtics, expect another player to be added by the Sonics, likely Shammond Williams. If Shammond Williams and Forte are added to the deal, the trade will work with either Potapenko or Eric Williams.)

Percy Allen of the Seattle Times reports that the Sonics may finally be able to do what they?ve been trying to do for years? trade Vin Baker. They are close to completing a deal that will send Baker to the Celtics in exchange for Kenny Anderson and Vitaly Potapenko.

Trade talks between the two teams began last week and have escalated over the last 48 hours. It?s possible that other players like Joe Forte and Shammond Williams will be included. The Sonics did not comment, but Bakers? agent, Eric Goodwin, said he is aware of the talks. "I've heard the rumor, and we'll try to investigate as much as we're able, but there's only so much we can do," Goodwin said.

The trade appears to help the Celtics who are in need of a low post presence. It is not clear how this will deal will help the Sonics. Anderson is 32 years and has been a starter throughout his career. In Seattle he would be Gary Payton?s backup. Potapenko was a backup on a team with a weak frontcourt. He will find little playing time with three other centers on the Sonics? roster.

Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that the Sixers are close to finalizing a deal with Dallas free agent Greg Buckner. Sources say that the deal is expected to be for $18 million over six years. The Details probably won?t be completed until next week.

By using a little more than half of their middle class exception, the Sixers will still have about $2.1 million to use for another free agent.

Buckner was being courted by the Sixers and the Lakers. When it was reported yesterday that the Lakers would re-sign Devean George, Buckner?s decision became a little easier. Even though his playing time has been limited by injuries, the Sixers like his ability to defend three different positions.

There are indications that the Sixers and Mavs could work out a sign and trade deal. If that happens, the Sixers will still have their entire $4.5 million exception to go after someone like Celtics free agent, Rodney Rodgers.

The Sixers and Rogers have shown mutual interest and with Boston limiting their offer to the $1.4 million exception, there is a good chance that Rogers is looking for a new team.

The Providence Journal reports that the Celtics and Pacers are talking about a trade. According to a report from ESPN, they are talking about a deal that would send forward Austin Croshere and point guard Jamal Tinsley to the Celtics for veteran point guard Kenny Anderson.

The Celtics are looking for insurance. Tinsley would be their point guard of the future and Croshere would step into the role that Rodney Rogers played last season in the event that Rogers can?t be re-signed.

The Pacers want to get out from under Austin Croshere?s contract and are worried about Tinsley?s immaturity. With Anderson having only one year remaining on his contract, he becomes more financially feasible than Croshere?s cap-killing contract.

In order for this deal to take place, they will have to wait until August 1st when Croshere?s BYC status expires.

James "Butch" Williams the agent for Boston Celtics free agent forward Rodney Rogers says that the Philadelphia 76ers are high on his client's wish list. This according to Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News.

"A bunch of teams have called us, but some hold no appeal," said Williams, who already met with Celtics general manager Chris Wallace. "Philly, even having injuries, was in the thick of the hunt in the East. Philly, Miami, the Celtics, any one of those teams could have knocked off [Eastern Conference champion] New Jersey this time around. We want to add to, and complement, a team."

In other news, The Sixers made preliminary calls to Rogers, Dallas Mavericks guard Greg Buckner, the Los Angeles Lakers' Devean George, the Toronto Raptors' Keon Clark and the Minnesota Timberwolves' Chauncey Billups.

NBA teams cannot begin signing free agents until July 16, but were permitted to start making contacts July 1.

Shira Springer of the Boston Globe reports: The opening days of free agent negotiations have brought good and bad news to the Celtics. First, the good news. The market is setting up as tight as Boston expected, so the team will have as good a shot as any of landing the players at the top of its list. Now, the bad news. Representatives of Rodney Rogers and Erick Strickland initially said they would listen to offers from Celtics general manager Chris Wallace and, if those bids were strong enough, the players would not test the market. But now, Rogers and Strickland are listening to other offers.

Rogers's agent, James ''Butch'' Williams, said yesterday that negotiations with Boston were ongoing. Raymond Brothers, who represents Strickland, said his client would visit Indiana Monday and was scheduled to meet with four other teams. Brothers added that the shopping around was ''not by choice.'' The Celtics have a strong relationship with Brothers from the days when they arranged a sign-and-trade deal with his client, Danny Fortson. And Strickland is spending his summer working out at the Celtics' training facility in Waltham.

''Chris Wallace is a very, very good friend of mind,'' said Brothers. ''He likes Erick a lot and Erick wants to be a Celtic.

Rogers and Strickland may want to remain Celtics for all the right reasons, but making deals is about both dollars and sense.

''It's the beginning of the process,'' said Wallace. ''I think that's basically the way to term it at this point. You don't go into these type of things with a timetable. That timetable is really irrelevant because obviously the season's not opening tomorrow.